1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to physiotherapy and, more particularly, an exercise device useful in rehabilitation from injuries.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of exercise equipment, there exist innumerable devices to promote strength, mobility, flexibility and to assist in rehabilitation from injuries to the body. Typical among them are training devices that utilize weights (in selectable amounts) to provide resistance to body movements, whether of the trunk, the arms, legs or selected muscle groups.
Other devices utilize the weight of the body to resist motion of either the body as a whole or of the extremities. Specialized devices exercise the abdominal muscles. Others concentrate on arms or legs. Many emulate athletically challenging activities, such as treadmills, ski simulators, stair climbers or bicycles. Recently, U.S. Pat. No. 7,115,078 B1, issued Oct. 3, 3006, described a pole with a spherical base that was encompassed by friction bands, permitting use of the pole as an exercise device with an adjustable resistance to motion. That device neither promotes flexibility or counters the body weight when undertaking range of motion exercises.
Injury or prolonged inactivity leads to reduced flexibility and mobility and compromised body strength, all of which limit the effectiveness of most prior art devices. Improving athletic performance, increasing pain free range of motion, improving posture, strength, mobility, balance, agility and, in particular, rehabilitation of the injured body, all require equipment not found in the prior art.
What is needed is a simple apparatus that aids in the aforementioned areas by countering the effects of gravity during exercise, thereby permitting movements in which the weight of the body and limbs are no longer limitations.